Phil 180I: Philosophy University Seminar

Freddoso 

Decio 324/631-7327 

E-mail: Alfred.J.Freddoso.1@nd.edu

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Purpose of Course
Texts
Requirements
Reading Assignments
Next Paper Assignment
Handouts

Purpose of Course:

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to philosophy through a close examination of classic philosophical works by Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas (via Josef Pieper). Some recurrent themes: the nature of philosophy and of philosophical wisdom; the distinctiveness of the philosophical life; the relation between cognition and affection in the pursuit of wisdom; the relation between intellectual virtue and truth; the relation between faith and reason; the nature of human flourishing; the relation between moral virtue and happiness; the relation between being a philosopher and being a saint. 

Texts:
    Plato, Gorgias (Hackett) [other translations acceptable] 

    Plato, Republic (Oxford) [other translations acceptable] 

    Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (Hackett) [other translations acceptable] 

    Josef Pieper, The Four Cardinal Virtues (Notre Dame) 

    St. Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Hackett) [other translations acceptable] 

Requirements:
    Scrupulous class attendance and reading of all assignments 

    Active class participation (25% of grade). 

    Six five-page papers (75% of grade), due on 9/3, 9/15, 10/8, 11/10, 11/24, and 12/8.  (The first paper will be ungraded, and the second paper is a re-write of the first.)

Tentative outline and reading assignments:
    8/25: Introduction 

I. Plato on the Philosopher

    A.  The Gorgias:  Invitation to the Philosophical Life
    8/27: Socrates's conversation with Gorgias: Gorgias, pp. 1-20 [447a-461b] 

    9/1: Socrates's conversation with Polus:  Gorgias, pp. 20-50 [461b-481b] 

    9/3: Socrates's converation with Callicles:  Gorgias, pp. 50-113 [461b-end] 
     

    B.  The Republic:  The Portrait of the Philosopher and the Philosophical Life
    9/8: The problem of moral uprightness:  Republic, pp. 3-56 [327a-367e] 

    9/10 & 9/15: The education of the guardians:  Republic, pp. 57-132 [368a-427c] 

    9/17: The cardinal virtues:  Republic, pp. 133-158 [412b-448e] 

    9/22: A portrait of the philosopher:  Republic, pp. 190-226 [471c-502c] 

    9/24: Knowledge, the Good, and Knowledge of the Good:  Republic, pp. 227-276 [502c-540b] 

    9/29: Deformed characters and deformed societies:  Republic, pp. 277-319 [543a-576b] 

    10/1: The nature of moral uprightness, and life hereafter:  Republic, pp. 320-343 [576c-592a] and pp. 363-379 [608c-621d] 
     

II. Aristotelian and Thomistic Ethics
    10/6: Happiness:  Nicomachean Ethics, book 1, pp. 1-32 and book 10, chap. 6 - end, pp. 281-298. 

    10/8: Virtue:  Nicomachean Ethics, book 2, chap. 1 - book 3, chap. 5, pp. 33-70 

    10/13: Prudence: The Four Cardinal Virtues, pp. 3-40 

    10/15: Justice: The Four Cardinal Virtues, pp. 43-80 

    10/27: Justice: The Four Cardinal Virtues, pp. 81-113 

    10/29: Fortitude: The Four Cardinal Virtues, pp. 117-141 

    11/3: Temperance: The Four Cardinal Virtues, pp. 145-180 

    11/5: Temperance: The Four Cardinal Virtues, pp. 181-206 

    11/10 and 11/12:  Friendship, Nicomachean Ethics, books 8 and 9, pp. 207-266 
     

III. Augustine and the search for the true and the good
    11/17: Confessions, books 1 and 2, pp. 3-31
    11/19: Confessions, books 3 and 4, pp. 35-66 

    11/24: Confessions, book 5 and 6, pp. 69-104 

    12/1: Confessions, book 7, pp. 107-125 

    12/3: Confessions, book 8, pp. 129-147 

    12/8: Confessions, book 9, pp. 151-170